BLACKWOOD’S

Eviufiurgh M A G A Z I N E.

VOL. CXX.

JULY—DECEMBER 1876.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH;

AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.

1876.

A ll Rz'qlzls qf T ram/alien mm’ Repuéh'mtz'on reserved 1876.] A Rim through —Jtimlghar. 191

A RUN THROUGH KATHIAWAR—JIINXGHAR.

BOMBAY, I admit, is a. delightful the Indian element has got the up place of residence if you can take it per hand there, nothing is regarded on the conditions enjoyed by its with more dislike and distrust than governors, commanders-in-chief, and any expression of dissatisfaction members of council. Granted that with the climate of that great city. you are at liberty to spend the hot Admit at once that it is simply per season, from the middle of March fection, and that your sole duty in till the commencement of June, in life is to devote all your capacity the forest shade of the cool table and all your means to the benefit land of Mahabaleshwar at a height of of its population, and then you will 4500 feet; that you can pass the soon become a popular character, time from the commencement of even though you may labour under June to the end of September at the serious disadvantage of never Poona or Nasik, on the elevated having been twice born or circum plains of the Deccan, where the cised, or bowed as a worshipper of great rains of the south-west mon the sacred fire. soon (which at that season make It need not be denied, however, Bombay like the bottom of an old that the climate of Bombay, though well) do little more than screen off debilitating, and favourable only the sun and moisten the arid air; to sub-forms of human life, is a that in the unhealthy season of pretty safe climate, and that Bom October and the commencement of bay has the advantage over the November you can place yourself other Presidency towns in the easy high above the decaying vegetation access which it affords to immediate of the plain, at such isolated hill changes of climate at all seasons of forts and sanitaria as Singhur and the year. It is supposed to have Poorundhur ; and that, in the cold a very delightful climate in what, season, you can take a two months’ by courtesy, is called its cold sea tour in Kathiawar, Sind, or Rajpii son 5 and, no doubt, visitors at that tana, in order to get a little real season, contrasting its sunny air cold weather and brace yourself up and brilliant skies with the cold after your fatiguing residence in and fog and darkness of an Eng Bombay,——then, I frankly admit, a lish winter, have good reason to residence in the capital of \Vestern be delighted with the change: but is not only endurable, but has those who have had some years’ great advantages of its own. Ad experience of tropical climes will mirable as this arrangement is, it perceive that a winter on the coast does not appear to leave much time of Western India may do them to be spent in Bombay; but then a much harm, while it is not likely very little time spent there goes a. to do good. The weather is not long way, and also goes far to im cold enough to brace, or to allow part a pleasing consciousness that of warm clothes being worn with you have been an unrewarded and any degree of comfort; but the dry, unacknowledged benefactor of your desiccating wind of the north-east fellow-creatures. It may be well, monsoon so rapidly cools the body however, not to impart any whisper as to be a real source of danger. of this conviction to your fellow \Vhen protected from that wind we citizens of Bombay; for now that are in a tropical climate ; when ex 192 A Run through Kathiawar—Jzimighar. [Aug. posed to it we are cooled almost ishes in that part of the world. as rapidly as were the bottles of Thus I had the opportunity of see beer and sherry which, wrapped in ing much of the interior working of wet cloth, used to be exposed to Indian native states; of mingling its influence before ice was imported with their princes and ministers; into India. of combining an examination of an Hence it follows that for those who tiquities with a round of gaieties; have to reside in Bombay it is quite of passing from the society of dan as important to get out of that place cing-girls to that of the statues of in the cold season as in any other ; the twenty-four Tirthenkaras or and fortunately, in the provinces holy saints of the Jain religion ; of lying to the north, but in not dis exchanging the presence of princes tant neighbourhood, really bracing for that of ashy devotees; and, above weather is to be found at that sea all, of obtaining admission to the son, besides many objects of interest, Amijhara or Perspiring Statue of and an entire change in one’s habits the holy mountain , and of of life. Of these provinces the lit sleeping at the foot of Kalika, the tle-known peninsula of Kathiawar Dread Mother, among the Aghoras, is the most interesting ; and I had or carrion-eating devotees, by which for long had my eye on it, as a sort it is infested. of Indian bonne bouche, before a. Kathiawar can be reached from favourable opportunity occurred of the Presidency town by the rail taking a run through it. Some way which runs through the North little time has elapsed since that ern Koncan and Guzerat to Ahme visit was made; but, happily for dabad, and by the extensive line itself, the Kathiawar peninsula has from that place to Virumgaum ; not yet been overwhelmed by the but as easy and rapid a way is intolerable rushing tide of modern by the well-appointed steamboats events; and, beyond a steady im of the British India Steam Navi provement in the action both of gation Company, which run from the'English officials and the Kathi Bombay to Karachi in Sind, touch chiefs, to which I shall allude, there ing at Vairawal, the chief port has been little or no change in it of Junéghar, and at various other ' since my visit. There I had the places, by the way. That prelimi privilege of seeing a large province nary part of the journey was very entirely, or almost entirely, under easy. It was only after being turn the rule of native princes, with its ed out of the railway at Virum population in a feudal state, and gaum, or landed at Vairawal, that little affected by the progress of the incautious traveller who had English ideas and rule. Many war not made sufficient preparations for like tribes were met with which, it the journey found himself in a difii is true, were no longer permitted to culty. Kathiawar, I need scarcely indulge in war, yet retained all the say,was not, and is not to-day, a land traditions and feelings of a not dis of hotels, or drawing-room cars, or tant period when they constantly public conveyances of almost any did so. And this province pre kind. It was not a land where pri— sented also antiquarian remains of vate conveyances, or even the means the highest interest and importance, of subsistence, could be had in many together with great series of elabo parts except as a matter of favour. rate temples sacred to the religion Between Virumgaum and the Eng of the J ains, a corrupt form of Blldh lish station of , where the ism which still survives and flour political resident has his head 1876.] A Run through Kathiawar—Jiimighar. 193 quarters, something like public those who are most independent traflic now goes on; but in most of it. parts of the country the traveller It is pleasant in the cool month may have the greatest diificulty in of January to find one’s self run getting a worn-out camel or donkey ning up the coast of Western India to ride on, and one egg to appease in a comfortable steamer, with an his hunger with, unless he is entirely new district of country in welcomed, and almost as a guest, prospect. Three weeks, in old times, by the chief of the district. In would have been a very fair run at Kathiawar there still lingers the this season in a pattimar from Bom idea that all visitors should be bay to , on the mainland en guests; and though this, of course, trance of the Gulf of Cambay; but does not imply that travelling there now in less than twenty-four hours is really very much cheaper than we find ourselves anchored on the anywhere else, yet those who at other side of the gulf, beside the tempt to proceed on any other foot little Portuguese island of Din, ing will find great, though almost close to the great Kathiawar penin intangible, difficulties rising in their sula. There is something attractive path—for nothing that they require to some minds in these decaying will be forthcoming when they want remnants of the Portuguese colonial it, or perhaps at all, if they get empire—such as Diu and Goa on irritated. the Indian coast, and Macao on Personally, I had no experiences that of China. They are dear to of difficulties of this kind, having the same tone of mind which made been invited to visit the country Byron find a congenial home in by one of its greatest princes, and Pisa, Venice, and Ravenna. Some having introductions to the politi thing of the heroism and glory of cal agent and other English ofiicers, the past still lingers about them, who can see that travellers are well affects the very air, and prevents cared for; but, even with such ad the meanness of their present be vantages, many things have to be coming the meanness of poor places provided for, and a run through which have had no past. But pro Kathiawar is not less expensive bably, of all such places in the than a run from Bombay to Eng world, the Indian remains of the land and back. Servants, cooking Portuguese empire are the least cal pots, bedding, liquors, preserved culated to afford that meditative re provisions, and many other things, pose which we seek amid ruins; have to be carried with one; and their life is too far gone and too though a tent and a riding-horse much mingled with the still more are not absolute necessities, yet advanced decay of ancient Indian they will be found very useful. races. The chiefs of Kathiawar are really There is much of interest in these exceedingly hospitable, after their shores of the upper portion of the own time-honoured fashions, but Arabian Sea, stretching up by Ka these do not meet all the wants of thiawar, Kutch, and Sind, formed an Englishman: a sense of propriety on the north by the coast of Bel forbids one drawing upon that hos oochistan, and coming down, on the pitality more than the circum Arabian side, in the shores of Oman stances justify; and it needs no sa and Hadramaut. It is a coast-line tirical turn of mind to be aware for the most part desert and sparsely that, in all parts of the world, hos inhabited, but it has wild beauties pitality is most freely accorded to of its own. Its summer sea is not 194 A Run through Kathiawar—Jziml'ghar. [Aug. much ruffled by storms, and strange, those countries a few centuries ago. picturesque-looking people live upon Physically and climatically, how it, or at no great distance inland. ever, it differs greatly from them Emphatically, it is a region of blind both. Here are no great chains ing sunlight by day, and brilliant of mountains, or deep fresh-water skies by night. lts palms and mi lakes, or long arms of the sea. mosas, and thinly-scattered human The coast is compact; and by far beings, do not oppress its naked the greater part of the peninsula is deserts and flame-like mountains. a plain, broken only by low rugged But Kathiswar is midway between undulations and the beds of streams, this arid region and the rich fertile dry during more than half of the shores of the Northern Koncan and year. The mountain-mass of Gir Southern Guzerat. It partakes of nar rises from nearly level plains the nature of both zones, and illus in the south-east of the country to trates the change between them. a height of 3500 feet; but there As we approached Vairawal, the are no other high mountains, chief port of the Kathiawar state of unless we call the isolated 1500 J unaghar, the great isolated moun feet peaks of Palitana such, and tain-mass of Girnar was visible in one of the Burda Hills near Pore the distance, in the clear, cool, even bunder, which is a. little higher. ing air, a great tract of cultivated But there are wild hills in the north plain stretching up to it ; while on east, and stretching from Gimar in the right, or towards the southern the direction of the sea, with a few side of the peninsula, lay the thick peaks of about 1000 feet. The jungly hills and forest of the Gir, plains are in great part under pae which is still the habitat of many ture and the cultivation of Indian lions, but is so unhealthy that it is cereals and cotton. There are large almost never visited except in the stretches of jungle and of barren depth of the hot season, and even land; and in the north, where the then but rarely. This peninsula of salts of the Bonn of Kutch encroach, Kathiawar—the ancient the plain is white, as with hear-frost, —is surrounded by the Gulf of except during the south-west mon Cambay, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf soon, when Kathiawar becomes an of Kutch, and a continuation of the island. salt-covered Runn of Kutch, by Very different, too, is the climate which and a neck of firmer land it from that of either Ireland or Scot is attached to the mainland of Guz land ; but as an Indian climate, it erat. Thus its position is somewhat may be said to be delightful. Ag isolated; and, until recent years, it ka gum, or “ hot as fire," in March, has had almost no external trade, April, and May, that season is not except that carried on by pirates an unhealthy one ; the hot winds are and slave-dealers. Roughly speak not bad, and the nights are usually ing, it is about 160 miles in tolerable. Still this is a. hot season. breadth, by 200 in extreme length, Lieut. Macmurdo, in his report of and has an area of about 22,000 the 2d Oct. 1815, remarks naively square miles, and a population of of it: “The climate of the penin under 2,000,000. Thus it has sula is, in general, pleasant. In the an area of rather more than two hottest weather the thermometer thirds that of either Ireland or is seldom above 110° in a tent, Scotland; and, socially and politi although generally above 104° or cally, it has not a few points of 102?.” Within reach of the south resemblance to the condition of west monsoon, but not exposed 1876.] A Run through Kathiawar—Jzindghar. 195 to its full force, the heats of sum such as the N awab of J linaghar and are tempered by clouds and the Jam of N aoanagar, have really rain 5 and, though steamy Septem small kingdoms, and what would ber and October are very unhealthy, have been counted as such even in there is a long delicious cold season, Europe ten years ago. In address extending from October to March, ing these chiefs in 1867, Sir Bartle when scarcely any rain fails, when Frere, the then Governor of Bombay, the sky is clear (except occasionally said: “ Some of your chiefs can show in the mornings, when there are pedigrees which run back for nine thick fogs), the air pure and brac teen centuries and extend over forty ing, and the cold is sometimes great generations. And this at least is enough to cause the formation of certain, that you have in Kathiawar ice. In its great characteristics the landed proprietors who tilled land climate is not different from that of in that province while the descen Western India in general; but ex dants of the Caesars still ruled over cept in the hot season, it has these the Roman empire ; and many who characteristics in a vastly superior believe, with some show of reason, style to that of by far the greater that their ancestors had fields of part of the Bombay Presidency. In their own to till in the same province a country so partially cultivated, when Porus met Alexander on the fever and dysentery of course frontier of India.” I saw some abound, but they can be guarded very ancient-looking individuals in against. Numerous herds of black Kathiawar, but whether they had buck and of niZghai—the large actually tilled land there a thousand Indian elk — spot the plains of years ago, I am not prepared to Kathiawar, and are easily ap aflirm. There is no doubt, how proached, though the aversion of ever, that many of the proprietors the people to their being killed can show credible genealogies of renders the pursuit of them often immense antiquity; and the an inexpedient ; but the same objection tiquity of the land settlements of does not apply to hunting the lions, the peninsula must be taken into leopards, wolves, and deer with account in order to form an idea which some of the jungles are full. of the character of the people. It Kathiawar may very justly be must be noted, also, that there has called the Scotland of Gdzerat ; and, been a great infusion of races into in accordance with that comparison, Kathiawar, not only of Negroes, its hardy, muscular people contrast Arabs, and Beloochees from the strikingly with the fuller-bodied, shores of the Arabian Sea, but also more placid, more English-like in from many parts of India, from habitants of the adjoining main Tartary, and perhaps from Europe ; land. The great social peculiarity and it has a share of the wilder of the country is its division into jungle and nomadic tribes of India, an immense number of small states, such as the Bhils and Jats. Col~ the chiefs of some of which exercise onel Tod has even gone so far as to the power of life and death, and say that, “for diversity of races, most of which are governed by their exotic and indigenous, there is no own chiefs, who are semi-indepen region in India to be compared with dent, although feudatories of Great Saurashtra." It swarms, moreover, Britain. There are about four hun with many pilgrims, besides those dred of these chiefs altogether 5 and of the Jain religion, who repair to though some of them are no bet the shrines of Girnar, Palitana, ter than petty proprietors, others, and Tulshishama. Kathiawar has 196 A Run through Kalhiawar—Jzindghar. [Aug a most interesting ancient history through the country. The engineer in connection with the Yadevas, eventually rode into J dnaghar on an the great Buddhist emperor Ashoka, ass ; and the two young merchants, the Sinha or Lion-kings, and Mah at the end of their first day's ride mud of Ghazni 3 but great conquer inland, were kept waiting for two ors have not much disturbed the re or three hours before any supplies lationships of its landed proprietors ; were brought to them, though of and it was only with the advent course they were quite willing to of the paramount power of Great pay; and at the end of that Britain that their incessant feuds period, the Foujdar of the village had to be exchanged for lawsuits. appeared before them holding up It has only to be added that bhair one egg in triumph, alleging it was wuttia, or going into a state of out all the food he had been able to lawry—or, in fact, becoming rob procure. There was surely satire, bers, descending for their prey from and not of a very covert kind, in the fastnesses of the mountains—is thus offering one egg to two an ancient Kathiawar resource for hungry young Sahibs after a ride the oppressed, and still lingers in of thirty miles; but this did not the peninsula. deter them from carrying out their The above remarks may serve to enterprise, and afterwards they got give a rough general idea of the on better. Probably the oificials country on which we are entering had directions not to act so as at at Vairawal. I fancy steamers all to encourage the visits of un sometimes touch at that port all invited Europeans, or at least of the year round without landing a travellers who did not give due single European ; but it so happened previous notice that they were that on this occasion there landed, coming. besides myself, a civil engineer and Vairawal, we found to our sur his assistants going to J unaghar, in prise, had one European inhabitant, connection with a projected railway and he was a young Scotchman, which still remains a project, and established there by some mercantile two young merchants of a leading house. He bore the name of the Bombay house, bent on a run hero of Aytoun’s most celebrated through Kathiawar for purposes of comic ballad. \Ve travellers (draw pleasure combined with an eye to ing fearful but entirely imaginary the extension of commerce. I was pictures of the reasons which had the only expected guest; due pre brought him into the land) used to parations had been made for me ; speak of him as “the Phairshon ; ” and I received every attention from and this phrase having been mis Durga Prasaad Hurridas, the Vahi understood by the captain of the vatdar or collector, and Maharanidas steamer, the latter remarked to us Vidzaman Anderji, the N azir or that really the Persian spoke Eng sheriff of the town ; but the wholly lish remarkably well. If you do unexpected arrival of the others meet a solitary European in such took Vairawal by surprise, and a place, he is pretty sure to be threw its officials into a state of either a German or a Scotchman. perplexity and sulkiness. The Na One of our party had a very char wab’s bungalow, about a mile from acteristic story of two Scotchmen the town, was quite roomy enough whom he heard conversing together for us all 3 but considerable diffi under a banian-tree. They were culty was experienced by the rest not exactly European loafers, but of the party in making their way were railway employés out of work, 1876.] A Run through Kathiawar—Jzindghar. 197 and were pushing their way—a to have fallen from heaven—rather long and dreary one—from Ahme a curious place for them to come dabad towards Agra, or Awgry, as from. To go into the associations of they called it. Their remaining this temple so as to render intelligible funds had been invested in a large the feelings which it is calculated stock of chapdtz's, or girdle-cakes; to excite, would involve a small and though chapa'tz's are exceed volume on the history and mytho ingly palatable when fresh from logy of India. Suffice it to say, the girdle, after being kept a few that both the position and character days they assume the consistency of the ruin make it a most striking of leather. This the unfortunate object, though it has been much Scotchmen soon found 3 but instead changed and disfigured by the of damning and cursing the scones, Muhammadans, and is ‘now quite a as Englishmen of their class would ruin. It must emphatically have probably have done, the following been a sculptured temple; and the was all the conversation that passed richness of Hindu sculpture is seen between them under the banian to better effect in the built than in tree :— the cave or rock temples. Even as “Awfu’ teuch, John!” a ruin it is beautiful, and it must “Ay, it’s tench.” have been a wonderful place when Vairawal, curiously enough, re its fifty-six pillars were inlaid with minds one of the Latin grammar, precious stones; when pilgrims for oer or air in Sanscrit means a flocked to it from all parts of India; hero, and the translation of the when the rise and fall of the tide name is “Line of Heroes,” rather was adduced, and readily received, a misnomer at the present day. It as a proof of Ocean’s adoration of was formerly a great haunt of pi it 3 and when thousands of priests, rates and slave-dealers, but is now musicians, and dancing-girls were more noted for its export of cot engaged in its service. There are ton. But its great attraction is the also other and very interesting an world-famous temple of Somnath, tiquities and sacred places in its which stands about two miles off on neighbourhood. Among these may the peninsula of Pathan Somnath. be specially mentioned the Surya This place is known to my readers Kanda in the town of Pathan, by the story of the Gates of Som which presents a colonnade of over nath, which were carried ofi“ to two hundred elaborately-carved pil Kaubul by Mahmud of Ghazni after lars ; and farther off the Devasarga, his sacking the temple (with a force where , the Indian Apollo, of 300,000 men, of whom, say the yielded up his life. historians, 50,000 were slain) in It occurred to a certain merchant 1025 an, and which were brought of Bombay, after he had resided for back into India with great pomp twenty years there, and was about by the late Lord Ellenborough to return to England, that he had when he was Viceroy, and are now seen nothing of the interior of in the fort at Agra. Tod has called India. Fired with a laudable am it “perhaps the, most renowned of bition to repair this defect in his all the shrines of India,” and one education, he went as far as he of its names denotes it as the chief could get by rail in his time, and dwelling-place of the great god then betook himself to the only Mahadeva or . It contained available means of conveyance—a one of the twelve Zingas of this god bullock gdv'lzt'. The result was, which are believed by the that the Bombay merchant returned 198 A Run through Kathiawar—Jiiml'ghar. [Aug home without seeing the interior; You are going on quietly enough, for after advancing ten miles in a only your brain feeling rather con bullock gu'rht, he precipitately re fused by the abovenoted mysterious turned on foot to the railway and motions, when suddenly you are fled from India. Now the convey bumped and dashed about in the ance provided for me, in which to most violent manner. You are go a short four-days’ journey from tossed off your couch for a couple of Vairawal to Jfimighar, was a bullock feet, and, as you descend, the couch gu'rhi—and a very superior one it rises to meet you with a violent was, cushioned, gilded, and orna blow, and knocks you up to the mented, as became the vehicle of a roof of the ga'rhi; while, an in N awab. The bullocks, also, were stant after, you are nearly knocked very superior bullocks, not requir through the side, and brought into ing to have their tails twisted, and violent contact with iron stanchions quite willing to go much faster than and wooden boards. After a little suited the convenience of the opium more of this sort of business, you eating old driver, who spent most subside into the mysterious motion of his time in tipsy slumber. But again, but bruised, bewildered, won notwithstanding these advantages, dering where you are, and what I did not become reconciled to that crime you have committed. Such method of transit. I could stretch sufferings the traveller has to endure myself at full length on soft cushions, in even a well-appointed bullock and was well protected from the sun gu'rM ; and I never heard any by an arched and quilted cover; but Englishman say a good word in what avails that when you feel as if favour of that vehicle except the the screw of a steamboat were work new member of Parliament for the ing below, flapping your person and Dumfries district, who, on his visit the ground alternately’! A bul to India, declared in favour of it, lock gu'rhi has either no springs at on the ground that “at least you all, or springs which only imperfect have it all to yourself.” But what ly protect the vehicle. It is a very are all these sufferings compared long afi‘air— sometimes eight feet with those of the man who is long—placed upon only two wheels. obliged to have recourse (as we The result is a combination of mo sometimes have in \Vestern India) tions which it is easier to remember to one of the ordinary cultivators’ than describe. There is a rotatory bullock-carts, which mightbe thrown motion, a lateral motion, a perpen over a precipice without sustaining dicular motion, and a nondescript much harm, and the wheels of motion, such as occurs in the tail of a which are segments of solid wood! water-wagtail. This combination of All Guzerat is famous for its cattle, motions is quite bad enough ; but it and certainly my bullocks had a is far from the worst. The roads largeness and calmness about them are not good—in fact they are ex which was delightful to contem ecrable. There are great ruts and plate, and made them contrast beau~ hollows in them, and they go down tifully with the shrivelled little unexpectedly into the dry beds of opium-eater, their nominal superior. water-courses. The consequence is, At the small gaum or village of that there comes every now and Bhandliri, where we stopped for then the most tremendous series of the night, I found a chamber above bumps and crashes, which no pillows the gateway prepared for me ; but it can render tolerable, and which are was so full of loopholes, that I pre almost as bad as a railway collision. ferred to sleep in one of the half 1876.] A Run through Kathiawar—Jzincigha'r. 199 open houses below, my cot being earth, with all its endless variety stretched facing a large wood of self-destroying sentient life, with fire which was kindled in the its mighty burden of joy and agony, court. But the houses of Hin is but a revolving grain of sand in dus, especially of , are the midst of a boundless universe défendu. In India one does not of stars. see the house-life as in China and On this journey I was always ac some other countries of the East. companied by a mounted trooper or Only among the poorer classes, and two ; and at my next halting-place, on occasions like this, we get Kussodi, there were a number of glimpses of it, and perceive its these men about, and other police meagreness. What a contrast the of the N awab. They and the starry heavens presented that clear, Foujdar occupied a large square cold night of January to the mean court, in which were various build ness of my human surroundings! ings. I was again allotted the room There are nights when the earth’s in the tower over the gateway ; and position on its orbit, our place on this I occupied, as it was comfort its surface, the position of the larger able and had been carpeted for me, planets, and the clearness of the though the whole concern was in a atmosphere, all combine to afford, great state of decay, and looked as nearly at the same moment, a view if it might collapse at any moment. of the more magnificent constella There was much excitement in this tions and individual heavenly bo place about a rising of outlaws in dies. Such a glorious night was the neighbouring forest of the Gil‘, this, in the perfectly clear air of Ka and this was one of the reasons thiawar. Towards morning Venus why I was not allowed to pay a was rising as Jupiter was setting, visit to that haunt of lions as well and near the latter planet were all as of outlaws. the splendours of Orion, the great Bhaz'rwutiia, or going into a state white light of Sirius, Procyon’s of outlawry, was, and to a less ex more modest brilliance, the dazzling tent still is, a highly respectable Capella, and the milder radiance of institution in Kathiawar ; it was Castor and Pollux. Towards the the safety-valve of society. When zenith, the most prominent objects a chief or a Grassia felt himself were Regulus and the stars of the oppressed beyond endurance by a Sickle, followed by the great triangle powerful neighbour, he took to the of Denebola, Arcturus, and Spica. jungle, and from thence made pre The baleful red fire of the rising datory excursions upon that neigh Antares contrasted with the soft bour's territory. The expedient blue light of the Northern Vega; was perfectly respectable, and and a little above the horizon, served as a real safeguard against nearly on the meridian, there shone oppression. The most powerful the Southern Cross, followed by chief knew that if he pushed mat the two most brilliant, piercing stars ters beyond a certain point those Alpha and Beta Centauri, and all he oppressed would betake them the galaxy of Argo Navis. Watch selves to parts of the country where ing such a sky, one begins to under there would be the greatest difficulty stand the fixed position of the stars in getting at them, and from whence —to feel and see that it is the earth they might cause his subjects serious which is slowly moving round amid loss and trouble. He also had be the vast concave of heaven; and we fore him the possibility of these also realise most vividly that this outlaws so increasing in number and 200 A Run through Kaflzz'awar—Ju'nu'yhar. [Aug. banding together that they might aowar turned up a long time after entirely overthrow his power and wards, with marks of earth on his put him to a cruel death. The out dress, and complaining of having law of to-day might become the had a severe fall from his unmanage prince of to-morrow, but there able steed. Thus it will be seen would be very little chance of the I found bhaz'rwuttia by no means overthrown prince being permitted extinct in Kathiawar. That noble to escape into a state of outlawry. institution still exists there, though General Legrand Jacob has related in diminished vigour. how some of these outlaws once Colonel Alexander Walker—the carried off an English oificer and first, and, considering his great work, kept him a prisoner for months in the most prominent of our officials their retreat among the mountains. concerned with Kathiawar—has re A year or two before my visit, two ferred to this subject of bhairwuttia English officers of the Federal Se in his Report to Government of the bundi—the force kept up at the ex 7th October 1807. He derives the pense of the principal chiefs to deal word from Mar, “ outside,” and wat with these outlaws—were killed by or war, “ a road," which evidently in them. Fighting was going on with dicates people who are outside ex them when I was on my way to isting arrangements, and have taken J iinaghar, but they made submission to the road as a means of subsist before I left that town. In the ence ; but Kathiawar gentry of this immediate neighbourhood of J una— kind are a much more justifiable ghar itself, when I was there, an class than our own Dick Turpins other band of outlaws gave some and similar “knights of the road." trouble. At W'adwan I found that Among its collateral supports, he Mr J ardine, the then Assistant Po mentions the personal independence litical Resident of the district, kept characteristic of all the Rajput horses ready for him to start, on a tribes; the right of avenging per moment’s notice, in pursuit of out sonal wrongs, as also the wrongs of laws. On the way between Saila relatives; and the recognised duty and Miili I was warned that there of affording refuge to fugitives and were bhaz'rwuttia on the road, and criminals of almost all kinds. When in the early morning came suddenly a proprietor goes into outlawry, all on a party of mounted men armed his dependants go with him, and his with spears. Suspiciously enough, village and its lands are left waste, at this moment the horse of the as a sort of protest and standing smear who accompanied me ran justification of his conduct. As the off with him, and I had an op outlaw only attacks his enemies, portunity of perceiving that in a and the system is well understood gcirhi one might be speared with in the country, he receives a great a good deal of ease. However, I deal of information and quiet pro had no need to use my revolver, tection from the neutral bystanders, for the leader of the party salaamed who do not want to make an enemy to me politely, and passed on ; and of him, and who feel that they though I am by no means sure, may some day themselves have to it is possible that this was not take to bhaz'rwutlia and will stand a party of outlaws, but a patrol in need of similar tolerance. guarding the road against them. I made so many inquiries about Even if outlaws, it was extremely the great forest of the Gir, with a unlikely that they would aggravate view of spending some time there the diificulties of their position by afterwards, that I know a great deal meddling with an Englishman. The about it, though it still remains for 1876J A Run through Kaflziawar—Jzindghar. 201 me a sweet unvisited woodland. Its trees, ebony-trees, or wide-spreading hills, as can plainly be seen from peepul and barr; and there are even the sea, are a low continuation of large amphitheatres surrounded by the Girnar group, notwithstanding the wooded hills. Around all the General Jacob's objection (which yellow, withered vegetation, and in has no geological validity) that there the burning sky above, there quivers is a plain of twelve miles between a furnace-like air; but on the banks them. The Gir is not a plain, but of the poisonous though limpid a vast succession of ridges and low streamlets, and climbing up every hills, covered by forest-trees and the rock and precipice where moisture densest jungle. Jacob, in his report remains and dews fall, there blooms of 4th October 1842, says that he the gaudy luxuriance of tropical marched twenty miles in it without vegetation. Among these wild finding room to pitch a bechova. It rocks and thick glens there is the covers a distance of about fifty miles very savagery of nature, both in by thirty, and would be almost im vegetable and animal life. The great penetrable were it not for two val maneless lion of Guzerat abounds, leys which fall through it from north and comes down in the moonlight to south, and the numerous stream~ nights to the pools to drink, or to lets which enter these valleys. Its watch for the beautiful antelope hills rise on the south to about 1000 and the splendid sambar. Large feet, and descend from that towards serpents twine, scarce distinguish the north into mere undulations. ably, among the creepers, or lie Its malaria is so injurious, and its coiled in the hearts of decaying water is so poisoned by the decay trees. Herdsmen with splendid ing vegetation, that it is not con cattle are found on the more open sidered at all safe to enter it except borders of this enchanted land; but between January and the com— no one penetrates into its jungly mencement of the rains in J une. depth except rude Kolis and Bhils Every way the best season for a of the more primitive races of In hunting excursion in it is in April dia, large African Sidis, descend and May, when the heat, as Major ants of runaway slaves, and a few Le Geyt described it to me, is some hunted and desperate outlaws, who thing tremendous, and yet is neither have betaken themselves to the oppressive nor unhealthy. It was fastnesses of its mountains. in that season that Sir Seymour I saw a very fine specimen of the Fitzgerald made his excursion into Kathiawar lion at J unaghar, in the it, when he was Governor of Bom garden of Bhauaddin, the brother bay, and bagged several lions ; and in-law of the Nawab. It was an he is almost the only Englishman I enormous creature ; and though the have heard of as having visited the almost entire want of mane detract Gir, except two or three of the civil ed somewhat from the dignity of and military officers employed in the king of beasts, it served to dis Kathiawar. Here is a fine play. play the gigantic proportions of the ground for the sportsmen of Europe; chest and shoulders. It has been but it would be vain for them to surmised that the thick jungle of its attempt to hunt in it without the habitat has, by the law of natural cordial assistance of the Junaghar selection, deprived the Kathiawar Durbar. lion of this appendage, which it re— Tents would be required in this tains only in a very modified and wild district: there are many half scanty degree; and the surmise open dells in which small ones that each individual lion may be might be pitched under great teak denuded of its mane by the thorny 202 A Run through Kathiawar—Jzindyhur. [Aug. thickets through which it has to of a black soil, about three feet pass, is disproved by the case of this in depth. The rock everywhere lion of J unzighar, which had ‘grown was cretaceous sandstone, which to full size in its cage, where there seemed here and there to have been were no thorny thickets. Occasion exposed to platonic action. Close ally the lion makes excursions to to Jiim'ighar the land became still the base of Girnar and the walls of richer, and the road lay between Jiinaghar, but that rarely happens mango-trees and fruit-gardens. now. The usual way of hunting it At J higher I found the bunga is to watch for it in a tree, beside low for travellers occupied by the some drinking-place it is known to Assistant Political Agent for the dis frequent, or above a dead bullock, trict, Major Le Geyt, and his lady ; which has been placed to attract it. and commodious tents were pitched The lion, on seeing the bullock, be for me on the other side of the city, gins licking its jaws, and gives un under some mimosa and large ban mistakable indications of its appre ian trees, just inside the walls of ciation of a good meal, when the the city at the north gate, above poor fellow is rudely undeceived as which there were some fine airy to what is in store by the crash of a rooms that would make a pleasant shell or conical bullet into him. Mrs residence in hot weather. The Postans says that in her day (1838) walls of Junaghar enclose a vast the noblest of the lions frequented circuit of open land occupied by the plains, and were hunted on ele kitchen-gardens and scrub-jungle. phants ; but very seldom do they My tents were about two miles venture on the plains, now that away from the city; and though firearms are so abundant. They re there was an oclroi guard of about quire to be sought for in their se twenty Arabs and Belooches at the questered haunts ; and there ele north gate, a special guard of eight phants are useful, but hardly for sepoys, with rifles and sword-bay the purpose of hunting them, the onets, and under an officer of the jungle being so high, and the forest N awab, was sent down every night so thick. to guard my tents. Possibly this At Bantli, my next halting-place, may have been to protect me, not I was put up in a palace of the Na so much from ordinary thieves or wab, surrounded by gardens, and from bhai'rwultz'as, as from the with a fine view over the plain guard at the gate. These latter from the upper rooms, which were were certainly exceedingly pious of great height, and covered with a men, so far as outward forms went, very fine, white, close chunam, which but neither their visages nor their looked almost like marble. Ladi demeanour were calculated to in .bhai, the Vahivatdar, was very spire confidence. Regularly every gracious, and mutton-chops were morning and evening, and some produced which would not have times even during the day, they en disgraced a city of London dining gaged in long devotional services, house. On the first part of the kneeling with their faces towards way up from the sea, the soil had Mecca, and uttering their prayers been very thin, light, and creta and chants in a sonorous way which ceous. It did not seem to be more would have delighted the ear of than a foot or a foot and a half a ritualist. Their piety, however, ' thick, and rested upon gravel ; but was very little appreciated by the about Bantli, and between that old women who passed through the place and J linaghar, there was more gate, whose bundles, and even 1876.] A “Run through Kathz'awar—Jzimiyhar. 203 whose persons, they searched in a clapped a half-opened iron ring round most unceremonious way, and who one of its hind ankles, and this not in return cursed them from head to only closed with a spring, but had heel, and otherwise treated them to sharp spikes on its inside surface, a profusion of the most abusive which checked the huge animal’s language. further progress, and made it sub I enjoyed life in these tents ex mit to its mahout. To do justice ceedingly, but nothing exciting oc to the cook, he only mounted the curred there except one day when wall connected with the gateway a. sowar galloped down and told us tower, and returned to his beloved that one of the N awab’s elephants mutton before any one else ventured had gone wild, had broken loose down. from its keeper, and was coming This state of Junaghar, at the down upon us. The skedaddle capital of which I spent a fortnight, which immediately took place was is the largest and most important of most amusing. The guard of Arabs the states of Kathiawar, excepting, and Belooches disappeared instantly, perhaps, Bhaunagar. It is a Mu leaving the gate to take care of it hammadan state; and its prince, the self. The old women threw down Nawab, is a Muhammadan, and so their bundles and made a rush for are one or two of his principal ad some huts outside the gate. My visers, but its affairs are adminis servants and attendants fled for the tered chiefly by Nagar Brahmans. gateway tower, and never stopped The city is renowned as a most until they attained the highest posi ancient place, even in a country so tions possible. And, curiously, a abundant in ancient places, and is number of pariah dogs which had believed to have been the capital of been lying and playing about seem princes of the Yadu race, the Ya» ed at once to understand that some devas of the Mahabharata. Ac danger was near, and ran into cording to the “ Mirat-i-Secundn',” concealment in ‘the jungle. In the Churasma dynasty had ruled in half a minute the whole place it, as over all Soruth, for nineteen was deserted. There was a very centuries previous to the Muham large half -uprooted and sloping madan conquest. After resisting trunk of ‘a banian-tree close be several very formidable Muham side me, and it at once occurred to madan attacks, conducted by such me that (with the aid of the trunk great conquerors as Sultan Mu of a mad elephant behind) I could hammad Taglak of Delhi, and walk up that banian-tree with suffi Ahmed Shah, the founder of Ah cient alacrity to place myself out of medabad, it succumbed, A.D. 1477, danger ; so, keeping a keen look-out to Sultan Muhammad Begra of in the direction of the elephant, I Guzerat. It afterwards became a continued smoking quietly in my dependency of the Mogul empire, chair, notwithstanding the entreaties and hence arose the present title addressed to me from the tower, of its prince—Nawab, originally especially by my Portuguese cook, meaning a deputy. Here the his who cried, half pathetically half in tory becomes intricate, and the de dignantly, “ S’pose that must hattz' tails would be uninteresting. Suf (mad elephant) come, Sahib not fice to say, that about 1735 Shere can eat that roast mutton.” Before Khan Babi, a soldier of fortune, getting quite close to us, however, displaced the deputy and founded the elephant halted in some jungle, the present dynasty. Its ruler, when and its keeper, stealing behind it, I visited it, Nawab or Nabob Sahib VOL. CXX.—NO. Dooxxx. o 204 A Run through Kallez'awar—Jzimiyhur. [Aug. Mohobutkhanjl, was between thirty and measured movements could be and forty years old. His jurisdic called by that name. There was tion, under the paramount power of not even impropriety in the per Britain, was a first-class one—that formances I witnessed, and to have is to say, he had the power of life watched them long would have been and death over all but British sub tiresome in the extreme. N o doubt jects; and in many other respects N autch girls are capable of highly he had the entire control of his improper dancing as well as im state, subject only to the advice proper singing, and possibly, later of the British political agents and on in the evening there may have of the Bombay Government. His been something of that kind; but, state comprised 800 towns and vil as a rule, the nautching an English lages, 62,300 houses, a population man sees in India is excessively of 249,200, and afforded him dull, and one would require to be an acknowledged land revenue of born to the amusement in order to Rs. 1,300,000, or about £130,000. appreciate it. Some of .Bhauad But most of the states of Kathiawar din's N autch girls were dressed in paid him annual sums ranging from the costume of Scotch Highlandmen, Rs. 20 to Rs. 5000; and if I am not with the addition of trews fitting mistaken, these payments, which tightlyat the ankle; and their solemn form a very considerable aggregate, movements resembled those of danc are not included in the above rev ing-dervishes at the commencement enue. They go under the name of a dance. The fruit and sweet of Zortalabf or black-mail, literally meats provided for the guest are “taking by force,” and that, no either given at parting or sent over doubt, was their origin ; but by cus to his residence next day, and betel tom, and being guaranteed to the nut to chew was all we had to sup N awab by the British Government, port exhausted nature. As the they are now legitimate sources of Assistant Political Agent, who knew revenue; and not a few of the nobles the people well, was present with of Europe became possessed of pro me at these parties, it was not for perty by a similar process. I need me to suggest that a “peg,” as only add that the N awab has about Anglo-Indians call a glass of brandy 3000 soldiers, horse and foot ; for and-soda, would have been much the character of his state, in so far more refreshing than chewing betel as I can give any idea of it, will nut or being sprinkled with attar of come out best incidentally in the roses and adorned with garlands descriptions of what I saw. of sweet-smelling yellow Mogrl'. Much of the gaiety of Junaghar flowers; but I was told that after consisted in evening parties of a our departure, kzmimba, a deeoction kind unknown in Belgravia, and I of opium, was introduced, and that was a guest at several of these, given the singing of the dancing-girls and by Bhauaddi’n, the brother-in-law of the conversation of the guests con the N awab, Lakshmi Shankar, the tinued till near morning. Nothing son of a former Dewan, and others. can be more absurd than the prac Some of the principal men of J una tice of giving pan supdri or a leaf-full ghar were always present at these of pounded betel on leaving; but parties, and the conversation turned the chewing of betel in India, on subjects both trivial and im though a disagreeable practice to portant. The chief amusement the onlookers, from the way in was singing, in Persian, by N autch which it reddens the teeth and girls, and their dancing, if slight fills the mouth with saliva, has 1876.] A Run through Kathiawar— Jiindghar. 205 undoubtedly its advantages, where elephant did threaten us. The vegetable diet so much prevails, fighting was by torchlight, which from the very astringent qualities of added to the extraordinary charac the nut. The Nautch girls were ter of the scene. A large elephant far from beautiful, and, to an in an excited state was let loose English ear, they screamed rather into the arena, and surrounded by than sang, sometimes raising their anumber of men, each holding a voices in a most ear-piercing manner, torch in one hand and a very long but always keeping time to the sharp spear in the other. First one music with the motions of their man would give the elephant a prog limbs and bodies. On leaving one of with his spear, and when it turned these parties the Civil Engineer ex upon him another would arrest its pressed a wish that our friends could attention by progging it on the see us, adorned as we were with other side. When hard pressed the garlands of Mogri flowers. A more spearmen had apertures in the wall objectionable practice was that, on of the arena into which they could our departure, of daubing our hands, escape, and accidents seldom hap handkerchiefs, and the sleeves of our pen, but one or two of them had coats with attar of roses, sandal-oil, rather narrow escapes. If the ele and other—I cannot say always phant was excited when he entered, sweetsmelling, but certainly always he became ten times more so under strong-smelh'ng—oils. Indeed the this system of progging, and some higher up in society we went, the difiiculty was experienced in getting more awful and prostrating was him out of the arena by exploding the perfume which was graciously fireworks behind him, which also rubbed on our coats. At least, did not tend to soothe his mind; however, we had hookahs, the but he seemed to enjoy the thing in smoke of which was tempered by a way, and it can hardly be said passing through rose-water, and that there was any cruelty in the were at liberty to smoke cheroots. amusement, or that it was as bad ~ I was first introduced to the as fox-hunting, in which men run Nawab at an elephant-fight, which the risk of breaking their necks, he invited me to see after the other and the fox suffers not a little. It Englishmen had departed from J un was a moonless night, and a curious aghar. He had about twenty ele effect was produced by the infuri phants of all sizes, and I had ex ated animal rushing about with a amined the stud. The fighting swiftness rendered remarkable by was between both men and ele its vast proportions, amid the flick phants, and elephants and elephants. ering light of torches, the glare of The balcony in which his High fireworks, or the steady blue light ness and myself sat, accompanied of some magnesium wire with which by Bhauaddin, Salahindi, and once or twice I lit up the arena. other Muhammadan nobles of his The bejewelled Muhammadan nobles court, opened on the large walled around me were very picturesque arena in which the fighting took figures; and so, in another way, place, and was by no means out were the wild-looking spearsmen 3 of reach of an elephant’s trunk 3 while the top of the walls of the but to guard against any accident arena were alive with the popula from that cause, we were provided tion of J unaghar. with long spears, and Bhauaddin The fighting of elephants with showed himself particularly active elephants was a mere trial of and courageous when one large strength 3 and they were placed 206 A Run through Kai/1[uH'ur—Jliwiylmr. [Aug with a thick low wall, about three me as able, well-meaning, and, or four feet high, between them. judged by an Indian standard, This was in order to prevent the honest men. victor going to extremities, and For instance, I assisted Major Le killing his opponent. As it was, Gcyt in the examination of the they only pushed against each principal school; but in order to other with their foreheads, and appreciate that establishment, we pushed each other's trunks aside, or must bear in mind what an exceed entwined their trunks, and so tried ingly out-of-the-way place J iinaghar to bend each other’s heads down. is, and how little it is directly I was curious to see a fight between affected by the modernising agencies an elephant and a .very fine rhino at work in the Presidency towns of ceros which the Nawab had, and India and throughout great parts of the quickness of whose motions the Mofussil. This head-school was quite astonishing; but was had over 300 scholars, and 70 of told that every time the rhinoceros these were learning English; and had been brought into the arena it it was noticeable that of these had killed either a man or an ele 70 only two were Muhammadans, phant, and so it was no longer though the state is a Muhammadan brought out to do battle. state, the rest being almost entirely The N awab himself impressed either Brahmans or Jains. The me favourably in some respects. higher class in English read fluent lie was evidently a man of good ly, and explained easily in English disposition, and not wanting in the meaning of the words they were natural shrewdness of mind; but asked to explain. They also wrote the circumstances of his training wonderfully correctly from dicta had unfitted him for taking much tion, and showed a good knowledge part in the cares of government. of the geography of Europe. Ma In a native state so isolated and jor Le Geyt put the whole school left to itself as J iiuaghar has been, through a'very sensible, testing, and and yet with the corrective of rev fair examination, which brought olution suppressed, great abuses out the actual proficiency and the must exist; but it is difficult—al deficiencies of the scholars very most impossible—to know to what well indeed, and I am bound to extent they do exist, and how far say that the result was highly current stories may be the invention creditable to them. On the whole, of discontented persons who have they showed great intelligence and been justly deposed from influential eagerness. The chanting in Gll positions, and of native employés of zerathi and Urdu was very melo the English Agency who seek to dious, with a pathetic cadence, and serve their own private ends. I was executed apparently with much shall say nothing on this and simi feeling. Alarge girls’ school, which lar subjects, on which I do not feel we also examined, was a novelty competent to form an opinion. It in such a state. The girls were was evident, however, that con almost entirely the daughters of siderable efforts were being made in Brahmans, some of whom were Jlinaghar to improve the adminis high in the Nawab’s service. They tration of the state, and to fashion were exceedingly quick, clever, and it in accordance with modern ideas. eager; and it was curious to notice In- its courts of justice, its schools, the great and unaffected delight and its jail, great reforms had been with which even such an astute effected ; and its Khabraris struck old ofiicial as Narsing Prasaad isrcj A Run through Kathiawar—Jzindghar. 207 looked upon the success of the little trust of every native who is in performers. such an appointment. By his own To improve the administration of countrymen he really means him justice, efi‘orts had been made to self, and gives vent to his very establish courts, with regular forms natural desire to obtain for himself resembling those existing in British (at any cost to the country) a place territory ; but there did not seem to of what to him would be high be sufficient appreciation of the im— emolument. But when he speaks portance of having well-paid judges of his brethren in ofiice he draws on placed in a position to be at least his own knowledge, and sometimes somewhat independent of the Na on his imagination. wab’s court. One of the gravest The jail in J unaghar was quite a accusations brought against native model affair; but I have noticed of states in India is, that the ruler late years that jails in India usually and his favourites can do exactly as are, whether in native states or in they please ; that they can crush British territory. A jail is a very all opposition, violate the honour of easy thing to keep in a nice showy any woman, ruin any man, and, in condition; and as visitors almost general, gratify their wishes, how always look at it, even the worst ever unwarrantable these may be. prince likes to have his prison in Though a step in the right direc that condition. The late Guikwar tion, the mere creation of courts of of Baroda had a beautiful jail, and justice does not meet this evil so I saw there the ex-prime-minister long as the judges can be displaced of that state, Bhau Sindiah; but a at will; and to place native judges few weeks afterwards Bhau Sindiah in very independent positions might died under rather suspicious circum be to make them independent foun stances, and, according to popular tains of corruption and oppression. rumour, he was pressed to death in . I saw that the chief court of J linaghar a sz'kunja, or contracting-wheel. A followed a regular course of proced much better indication of the pro~ ure, but cannot vouch for it in other gress of modern civilisation in J una respects, nor do I know of anything ghar was the Alfred Hospital, which against it. The advantage which had been founded in commemoration has been conferred on India by the of the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to fair administration of justice by India, and was relieving hundreds Englishmen of high character is in of patients, under the superintend calculable; but I doubt if the value ence of Anundass Morji, a licentiate of that administration is at all pro of the Bombay Medical College. perly appreciated by the natives of The splendid specimens of Bothrio India. They distrust native judges cepha-Zus Zatus, Taam'a solium, and altogether, and never like personally Filan'a medz'nensis which he had to go before such an administrator extracted from his patients were unless he happens to be of their particularly striking, and showed own caste; but still very many of that tape and guinea worms flourish them would prefer to see native in J finaghar. I made some interest administrators of justice appointed ing notes regarding this hospital, but in preference to English ones. In unfortunately (or fortunately) for almost the same breath an educated my readers I cannot lay my hands native will betray a desire that all upon them. A similar fate has the judicial appointments of India overtaken other J unaghar statistics should be filled by his own country which I collected ; but probably my men, and express his profound dis general impression will be quite suf 208 A Run through 'ufll {a Irar—Ju'ml'ghar. [Aug , ficient for the British reader, and it hood they have no weight in the was that a slow but steady improve country; but they have a great deal ment was going on in J flnz'ighar. of importance from their ability as The principal men of this state administrators, and from the way were either Muhammadans or Nagar in which they have got the affairs of Brahmans. After the Nawab him the chiefs into their hands. The self, the chief noble was his brother Kocani Brahmans, or those of the in-law, the Jemadar Bhauaddin, Southern Koncan, are considered a very handsome and active but the cleverest and the most restless somewhat dissipated-looking man, and pushing of the Brahmans of who, both by reputation and in \Vestern India; many of them appearance, struck one as a. sort of have light-coloured eyes 3 and they oriental Earl of Rochester. His have a tradition which might be influence with his Highness and in interpreted as indicating (though the state generally was very great. they would utterly repudiate such I should not think he was a man an interpretation) that at some to do much business that he could former period their blood had get any one to do for him, but that mingled with that of shipwrecked was from love of pleasure rather European mariners. But Vishnu than from lack of capacity; and, Venayck, a very clever young Kocani indeed, to uphold his position must whom I had with me, and have required no little tact and who was very desirous of obtaining ability. His right-hand man was some more permanent employment Salahindi, a pure Arab, of large in Kathiawar, soon found that there strong frame, who alone of the was no hope for him there, so Muhammadan nobles appeared to closely was everything held in the take much interest in public affairs, hands of the Nagars, and so averse and who acted as a sort of Minister were these to any other caste find of Public Works, that being the ing employment in the country. department to which he chiefly There are, however, a number of devoted himself. In Bhauaddin Kocani and Deccani Brahmans in you camein contact with a polished the employment of the British and agreeable courtier, who probably Agency, and in states administered could be something the very oppo by officers appointed by the Bombay site of that if occasion required; Government; and I noticed that in Salahindi you had a soldierly, these regarded the Nagars with practical man of visible shrewdness much jealousy, and took every op and good sense. portunity of finding fault with the The N agar Brahmans are an ex condition of states under the charge ceedingly powerful caste in June, of these latter. The enemies of the ghar, as in all Kathiawar, and have Nagars derive the name from mfg, monopolised the political manage the Indian word for a cobra, the ment of by far the greater part of most venomous of all snakes; but the peninsula. There are about they themselves have a more com 1500 families of them in Kathia plimentary derivation. N 0 doubt war, and three-fourths of these are they have a good deal of the wisdom devoted to secular pursuits, especial of serpents,- but they also struck ly to the art of government ,' while me (and I have had a great deal of the remainder, who devote them intercourse with them) as having selves to religious duties, are spe something of the harmlessness of cially called Brahmans—but all are doves, in so far as manners and of Brahmanical caste. As a priest kindness of disposition go. 1876.] A Run through Kathiawar—Jdncighar. 209 Runcharji, the celebrated former tlemen. Even those who found Dewan of this state of J iinaghar, was most fault with the state of J una a Nagar Brahman; and his praises ghar had nothing to say against his have been sounded by so many personal character; but they alleged persons of very different character, that he was only nominally Dewan, that he must have been a man of and was put forward in that posi high qualities. Mrs Postans, de tion in order to give respectability scribing him in her ‘Western India to an administration that otherwise in 1838,’ spoke of his “ purity and would not bear looking into. In a high-mindedness,” of his dignity certain sense this was no doubt and grace, of his liberal opinions, true. Gokulji saw evils existing and of his remarkable acquaintance around him which he was power with Eastern history. General less to remedy, as Runcharji had Jacob, in his General Report of been before him, and every man in 1842, said that Runcharji was high position is similarly placed in “ the nearest approach to an edu all parts of the world; but I do cated native gentleman the country not believe, and have not the least contained ; his tastes and habits of reason to believe, that his dewan thought were above his age.” He ship was a nominal one, or that he was one of the first in giving efi'ec held it on any other than legiti tual aid to the suppression of in mate conditions. I also had much fanticide; and Dr Wilson, in his genial intercourse with, and formed ‘ History of the Suppression of In a high opinion of another Jlinaghar fanticide in Western India,’ says official, Narsing Prasaad, who was of him that he “was one of the also a N agar Brahman, and had best-informed natives whom we the advantage of having previously have met in India. He had even served in the English agency. N 0 a knowledge of Arabic, a language one can accuse me of an undue re to which few of his caste ever pay gard for native states or native offi any attention.” cials ; and, for many reasons which The Dewan of J Linaghar, when I cannot here be entered into, I look visited Kathiawar, was also an ex with disapproval on the whole pro ceedingly courteous, dignified, and cess, as now pursued, of pushing intelligent gentleman. This was forward natives into Government the Azum Gokulji Sumpatram, also employment in British India; but a Nagar Brahman. At this time in Kathiawar, if some of the native he was absent at Rajkot, in attend states were backward, and showed ance on the young prince, the ‘an undue adherence to time-hon N awab’s son and heir ; but I met oured vicious customs, there were him at Rajkot, and had before quite as serious faultsin the method made very friendly acquaintance of dealing with them pursued by with him. His disposition was the Rajkot agency and the Bombay very kind and pleasing, his know Government. This is a subject, ledge great, his piety unaffected; however, which belongs to Kathia and, in the course of much inter war in general, rather to J linaghar course with him relating to business in particular. affairs, in which there was some Mr Kinloch Forbes, of the “ Ras temptation to depart from strict Mala,” who both knew the natives rectitude, I never saw in him the of India and loved them well, least shadow of guile, or anything has said that “we should recol which would be deemed unworthy lect, in regard to the Hindus as of the highest class of English gen a people, that they are almost as 210 A Run through Kulhiazrar—Jrfmfylmr. [Aug. difl'erent from ourselves as the laws can be met with a feeling of per of nature will permit one set of men feet confidence on that somewhat to be from another." This was a indefinitely bounded yet very real true enough statement for his time, elevation of calm good sense, of though an extended knowledge of unselfishness and kindly sympa the Chinese and of other races has thetic feeling, of enlarged and un ‘ since indicated that there is a wider prejudiced intellect, of devotion to and deeper (though still by no immediate practical good combined means an impassable) gulf between with a desire to further the higher ourselves and many peoples than possibilities of the human race, of there is between us and the lIin a natural unaffected courtesy, and dus, or any members of the Ary of all the collateral qualities which an race. Yet undoubtedly, there create the real nobility of the hu is sufficient difl'erence between us man race,—that nobility which it is and the Hindus to form a serious one of the peculiar glories of Eng difficulty in the way of that un land to have heartily recognised as derstanding and relianceship which an ever-enlarging circle which can is the basis of all friendly and be entered from every quarter, from happy intercourse. I would not every clime and condition of life, say that the fault is theirs, and and whose golden gates, though still less that it is ours; rather it they may occasionally for a mo rises unavoidably from the intrac ment admit the gilded lackeys of tability of human nature, and its civilisation, and other pretenders incapacity for making rapid transi of higher or lower origin, and may tions without losing much of what also be held closed for a time is most admirable in it. But Mr against suspicious-looking wander Forbes wisely puts in the qualifica ing strangers, who would possibly tion that it is “as a people” that be at once admitted into the courts . the Hindus are so different from of heaven, yet are unalterably clos us,- and, making due allowance for ed—persistently from the begin superficial differences of manner ning, or at last in the end—only and mode of thought, there are against the hopelessly unworthy. among them admirable men, who